New Zealand boosts education engagement with Vietnam

ENZ just held the New Zealand Agent & Counsellor Seminar 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City on August 24, and Hanoi on August 26, bringing together more than 50 New Zealand education providers and nearly 200 representatives from partner organisations across the two cities.

The event, one of the largest New Zealand education gatherings in Vietnam this year, provided a platform for education providers, agents, school counsellors and university admissions officers to discuss student recruitment, transnational education and articulation programmes.

The seminar also marked the first official visit to Vietnam by David Downs, chief executive of ENZ. He was accompanied by Scott James, New Zealand consul-general and trade commissioner, highlighting the importance placed on education cooperation between the two countries.

Vietnamese student enrolments in New Zealand increased 14 per cent in 2025, exceeding the 11 per cent growth in overall international student enrolments, according to ENZ.

Universities accounted for 61 per cent of Vietnamese enrolments, reaching their highest level in a decade. Bachelor’s programmes represented 47 per cent of enrolments, followed by Master’s programmes at 24 per cent and doctoral programmes at 7 per cent.

Demand was concentrated in business and management, languages and literature, information systems, and economics and econometrics.

New Zealand education providers connected directly with Vietnamese education counsellors to expand education cooperation and student recruitment. Photo: ENZ

Secondary schools represented the second-largest education subsector, reflecting an increasing tendency among Vietnamese students to begin their overseas education earlier and complete their secondary qualifications in New Zealand.

Other education segments also recorded significant growth. Enrolments at private training establishments increased 34 per cent, while English language schools and institutes of technology and polytechnics grew 25 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively.

Growth was also recorded across New Zealand’s regions, with six of 10 regions reporting increases. Otago led with growth of 39 per cent, followed by Waikato at 26 per cent and Auckland at 21 per cent.

Downs told VIR that Vietnam remains one of ENZ’s priority growth markets and is one of only two countries where the agency focuses on all education subsectors.

He also linked the growing education relationship to the broader bilateral relationship, following the recent state visit to New Zealand by General Secretary and President To Lam, the first such visit in nearly two decades.

“For ENZ, growth is not simply about increasing numbers. It is about welcoming students who understand the value of a New Zealand education, who thrive while they are here, and who return home as lifelong ambassadors for New Zealand,” Downs said.

New Zealand’s eight universities are ranked among the world’s top 450 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, while the country also continues to perform strongly in measures covering peace, sustainability, employment outcomes and work-life balance.

David Downs, chief executive of ENZ, highlighted Vietnam as a priority growth market, with education continuing to serve as an important pillar of New Zealand-Vietnam relations. Photo: ENZ

The seminar also saw ENZ announce a series of new partnerships aimed at expanding New Zealand’s education presence in Vietnam.

ENZ will collaborate with international education organisation Grok to connect with Vietnamese learners and school career counsellors, boost transnational education and develop a community of international country representatives. Grok will also provide market intelligence to help New Zealand institutions better understand student trends and strengthen recruitment strategies.

A partnership with Pearson PTE will seek to expand access to New Zealand government-backed scholarships for Vietnamese students while strengthening English-language capabilities among scholarship candidates.

ENZ also announced partnerships with three master agents - Adventus.io, Bright Can-Achieve, and Global Education Alliance - to broaden engagement with education agents nationwide and improve the information and guidance available to students and their families.

Ben Burrowes, regional director for North Asia and Southeast Asia at ENZ, said the partnerships would expand study opportunities while supporting a more connected international education network.

“These new collaborations and partnerships not only expand study opportunities for Vietnamese students, but also reflect our vision for a connected and sustainable global learning community. With the support of our partners, New Zealand will continue to strengthen its position as a leading destination for world-class education, inspiring young people in Vietnam to pursue knowledge, nurture their ambitions and prepare to shape their future,” he said.

Looking ahead, ENZ plans to continue promoting New Zealand government-backed scholarships across different levels of study and introduce initiatives to strengthen engagement with Vietnamese learners.

These include an Alumni Talk webinar series in September featuring Vietnamese alumni who studied and worked in New Zealand, followed by a Master Class Series in November featuring online taster classes delivered by New Zealand tertiary lecturers.

ENZ also plans to encourage more frequent visits by New Zealand education providers to Vietnam as it seeks to deepen relationships with local partners and expand education cooperation between the two markets.

Growing opportunities for Vietnamese students in New Zealand The Education New Zealand (ENZ), in collaboration with the New Zealand Embassy and Consulate General, hosted the 2024 New Zealand Education Fair in Hanoi on October 20.

Strong turnout at New Zealand Education Fair in Hanoi The 2025 New Zealand Education Fair drew strong interest from Vietnamese students and parents eager to explore study opportunities abroad.

New Zealand institutes strengthen educational exchange and cooperation with Vietnam A delegation of New Zealand Institutes of Technology & Polytechnics and Private Training Establishments made its first official visit to Vietnam from March 29 to April 5.